The Ethnic Relations Commission, (ERC) is seeking 14 persons among them Mayor of Bartica, Gifford Marshall to answer to complaints for alleged racially-insensitive comments.
In an advisory issued on Tuesday the ERC said the named individuals must visit its office at 10:00 am on Wednesday, August 26, 2020 to discuss pending matters with regard to racially insensitive comments. The persons asked to visit the ERC are: Lucra Adams; Renay Nestor; Sukie Persaud; Afraz Mohamed; Sharmilla Dhanraj; Hemwattie Dookhie; Lashona Chester; Arehanna Narine; Marcelle Hamer and Dawn Henry.
The commission is also requesting individuals who were previously asked to visit its main office to do so on Tuesday, August 25, 2020 at 10:00 am. These are: Gifford Marshall; Dennis Emanuel; Chaitram Goberdhan and Balmikie Lallbeharry. ERC said its Investigation Unit can be contacted on 231-6281/231-6265 for further information.
Back in March the ERC had expressed concerns about reports about language being used in public that may incite racial hostility and urges the public to desist. In a press release the ERC had advised the public “that the use of any language tending to excite ill-will against a person’s race, is a breach of (the) Racial Hostility Act” of the Constitution. The group said it is mandated to discourage and prohibit persons, institutions, political parties and associations from indulging in, advocating or promoting discriminatory practices on the grounds of ethnicity. In keeping with this the ERC said it “will recommend that stiff sanctions” be meted out to any official who wilfully incites racial hostility.
Additionally, the ERC said the use of such language is not in the best interest of harmony and good relations among the country’s ethnic groups. It said too it is interested in seeing equal opportunity for all citizens and urges all public officials to be impartial when executing their duties.
